Apparatus for treating materials



Nov. 23,- 1937. w. 1 WETTLAUFER APPARATUS FOR TREATING MATERIALS Original Filed Jan. 22, 1913 5 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 23, 1937. w WETTLAUFER 2,100,117

APPARATUS FOR TREATING MATERIALS Original Filed Jan. 22, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheen 2 MQQW Patented Nov. 23, 1937 V UNITED STATES ATNT VFIE APPARATUS FOR TREATING MATERIALS William L. Wettlaufer, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application January 22, 1935, Serial No. 2,913 Renewed October 12,1937

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for use in the treatment of coal and other granular substances and particularly for the purpose of separating water, silt and like fine foreign mat- 5 ter from the solid particles.

It has for its chief object to provide an efficient apparatus of this character which is designed to-handle a maximum tonnage in a minimum period of time and with a minimum expenditure of power, and which eifectually and thoroughly extracts the water as well as the silt and other fines from the solid material.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a de-watering apparatus for coal and like substances which is simple, compact and sturdy in construction, which is continuous in operation, and wherein the separating unit of the apparatus is self-cleaning.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is asectional side elevation of the separating apparatus embodying my invention. Figure 2 is a: sectional top plan view thereof. Figure 3 is an enlarged central vertical section of the centrifugal separating drum of the apparatus. Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 4-4, Figure 3.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the drawings, l0 indicates a supporting .frame or member upon which is mounted a driving unit which is preferably in the form of an electric motor ll having its shaft l2 disposed in an upright position for rotating the revolvable or centrifugal element of the separating or de-watering apparatus. 40 The revolving element of the apparatus, which functions by centrifugal force to extract the water aswell as the silt from the coal or other substance'being treated, preferably consists of a substantially conical-shaped, foraminous' sievelike member or drum l3 overhanging the motor I l and suitably secured to the shaft l2 thereof to be driven thereby at a comparatively high speed. This centrifugal drum or casing is open at its top and bottom and is stepped to provide a plurality of annular separating zones 03a of successively increasing surface area or diameter from the top or feed end to the bottom or dis charge end of the drum and each zone being inclined downwardly and outwardly in the 'manner shown in Figures 2 and 3. This drum includes a skeleton-like internal frame composed of Iongitudinal ribs or flanges l4 which project radially inward from the inner sides of the drum and which are laterally offset, as indicated at I5, to follow the contour of the stepped separating 5 zones 13a. Aside from constituting strengthening means for the drum, these flanges, which are suitably spaced radially, form resulting channels or compartments for the downward flow of the material being treated and afford an even 1 distribution of the material over the separating zones as the drum is revolved. Also constituting a part for the reinforcement of the drum as Well as deflecting walls for intercepting and directing the. material from one separating zone to another, 1 5 are superposed transverse members I6, ll and i8 which are preferably in the form of circular plates or baffles and which are in edgewise spaced relation tov the inner surface of the drum and are anchored at their peripheries, by welding or 0 .otherwise, to the opposing edges of the flanges I4, thereby leaving a path of flow for the mate- I rial along the inner wall of the drum during the de-watering operation. The uppermost baffle plate i5 is disposed immediately below the feedend or mouth 19 of the drum, while the-subjacent pairs of baffle plates ll, i8 are disposed in a plane adjoining the respective offset portions l5 of the flanges it, whereby the material during its downward flow through the drum is inter- 30 cepted at predetermined points and deflected out wardly as it passes from one separating zone into another. One of the plates H or i8 is provided with an attaching collar 2%! for connecting the drum to the motor-shaft l2.

While the annular separating zones 63a of the drum may be made of screening or other foraminous material, I have shown them made from sheet material having slots 2| therein for the discharge of water, silt and like matter to be separated from the substance undergoing treat ment. By preference, these slots are obliquely disposed in a direction counter to the direction of rotation of the drum to effect a more positive separation and escapement of the minus material from the aggregate as it is fed downwardly along the inside face of the drum.

Mounted in spaced relation over the drum i3 is a hood 22 which is supported from the frame member It by braces 23 and which is provided at its lower end with an inwardly-disposed trough or collecting sump 24 for the water and silt removed from the coal, this trough having a discharge opening 25 therein communicating with a spout 26 for directing separated matter to a point away from the apparatus. At its upper end this hood has a feed hopper 21 into' which the material to be treated is delivered and from which it is discharged by gravity into the feed-end I9 of the drum I3. If desired,'the lower end of the latter may be provided with a trough 28 for receiving any surplus water extracted from V the material and which flows down the outer surface of the drum. The outer wall of this trough is deflected outwardly and extends to a point at or above the hood-trough 24 to thereby directthe extracted water outwardly'and upwardlyby centrifugal force against the hood and thence into its trough.

Briefly stated the operation of ,the apparatus is as'fo1loWs:- l V a The material to be treated is delivered to the hopper 21 from which it flows'by gravity into the feed-end 19 of the revolving separating drum I3, centrifugal force directing and impinging the material against the inner wall of the drum and gravity 'causingthe material to flow downwardly "along the steppe'dseparating zones 13a. In flowgatefan'd pass through the drum-slots '2! against the hood 22, being ultimately delivered to the trough 24 from which they are drained or discharged through the spout 26, while the dried 'material' or aggregateflows by gravity and is discharged from the lower'end of the drum where itrnay be delivered to 'a'suitable bin or'r'e'ceptalcle for receiving it.

In flowing downwardly 7 through'the'dru'rn from one separating zone to anotherfthe materialimpingesagainst the baffle-plates I6, I1 and I8 and then is directed outweirdly therefrom by centrifugal force against the drum walls. If desired and the material requiresyitgit may be passed through-two or more separating units of like construction until. the

proper separation and de-watering has been efe d', l a t V V a I claim as my invention:

1. In a material treating apparatus of the character described, a centrifugal separating drum open at its upper and lower ends for the f eed and discharge'of material to and from the same, flanges disposed substantially radially about said drum and extending'inwardly from the walls thereof, and baffle means disposed within said drum in superposed spaced relation to provide a plurality of separating zones, said bafe fle'means abutting at their peripheries withthe V opposing edges of said flanges and adapted to intercept and direct the material outwardly from V the lower end of one zone to the upper end of an adjoining zone, said drum having discharge slots in the zone areas thereof for the discharge of water and like matter separated from the ma-' 'terial undergoing treatment.

2. In a material treating apparatus of the character described, a centrifugal separating drum open at its upper and lower ends for the feed and discharge of the material to and from the same, said drum being stepped along its side wall to provide a plurality of separating zones therein along which the material is adapted to flowga nd means disposed within the drum and in planes adjoiningthe stepped portions thereof for intercepting the material and directing it from one zone to another, the drum-walls at the separating zones having discharge slots therein disposed obliquely in a direction counter'to that of the drum-rotation and with their leading ends disposed at the upper ends ofrthe'slots. 1

3. In a material treating apparatus of the character described, a centrifugal separating drum open at its upper and lower ends fonthe feed and discharge of the material to and from the same, said drum being 'stepped'along itsside wall to provide a plurality of: separating izones therein along which thematerial is adapted to flow, the drum-walls at the separating zones havin g discharge slots-therein disposed obliquely'in annular rows about the drum with the leading ends thereof constituting the upper ends of the slots, flanges disposed substantially radially about said s eparating zones and extending in-: Wardly'from the walls thereof, and battle means disposed in the path of flow of the material and adjacent the junction of the several zones for intercepting and directing the material outwardly from the lowervend of one'zone to the upper end of an adjoining zone, said 'bafile means term'mating at their outer edges in substantially abutting relation to the inner edges of said flanges. e v

4. In a material treating apparatus of the character described, a" 1 centrifugal separating drum open at its upper and low'er ;ends for the ,feed and discharge of the material to and from 'the same, said drum being stepped along its side wall to providera, plurality of separatingyzone's therein along which the material is adapted to .flowflanges disposed substantially radially about said separating zones and: extending inwardly from the wallsthere'of, and battle means disposed in theopa'th iof flow of the materiarand adjacent the junction of the'several zones for intercept ing and 'dire'otingthe material outwardly from the lower end of one zone to the; upper'end of an ad'joiningzone; said bafiie' means terminating at their outer edges in' substantially abutting relation to the inn'er edges of 'said' flanges.

' Q L.-WE*I"ILATIFER. 

